Infighting in Samajwadi Party?

Lucknow: Is all well in Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Samajwadi Party? While officially, party leaders scoff at reports of “naraazgi” (anger) between Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his father, party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav (MSY), events over the last week suggest to the contrary.

And it all seems to have been triggered, in the long term, by the continuous “needling” of MSY, sources say and of late the expulsion of three closest party leaders of the chief minister – Anand Bhadauria, Sunil Yadav ‘Sajan’ and Subodh Yadav.

On Friday, as PWD minister and MSY’s younger brother Shivpal Singh Yadav signed the letter of the trio’s expulsion, the ruling party was jolted like never before.

While the official line was that the party leadership acted against the young leaders for their “anti-party acts in the gram pradhan polls”, insiders say it was a result of the power tussle between the two generations in the family. “It is a public humiliation of Bhaiyya Ji (as the chief minister is called) by the elders in the family and does not augur well for everyone”, said a close aide of Akhilesh Yadav.

Insiders admit that the chief minister was very miffed by the fact that the three leaders, who have been with him before the party stormed to power in 2012, were not suspended but expelled from the party. While the matter was discussed with Akhilesh by Shivpal and Mulayam, a source told IANS, the chief minister had walked out of the close door meeting when it was decided to boot the three young leaders out.

In fact, Akhilesh, known for his smiles and keeping calm publicly is so angry that for the first time since he was sworn in as the chief minister, he skipped the Saifai Mahotsava for two consecutive days. With the annual cultural jamboorie a family affair, the absence of Akhilesh has not been missed by old-timers and many feel that the 42-year-old might have finally thrown in his towel.

Sources say that while Akhilesh, like an obedient son, has been overlooking public reprimands of his father, much to his embarrassment, though, this time, the “wound is much deeper”.

“See, the chief minister is trying to do some good work, many development projects are on the roll, the general perception about the government is improving…in such circumstances, such developments bode ill for him and the party,” a close friend of Akhilesh said.

Mulayam in the past, on at least four occasions, has publicly chided the chief minister, leading to resentment in the rank and file. Many say, if there were indeed some issues between the two where they differ, the discourse should be at home rather than at public platforms.

“Such things hurt the party’s image and I am sure rattle the confidence of the young chief minister,” a senior minister said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak saw it as a “tussle for power within the Yadav clan”.

“The knives are out in the open and the fight for supremacy has begun. There has always been simmering tension between the two camps, it’s just that now it is in open and very evident,” the BJP leader added.

A close associate of Mulayam however, claimed that ‘Neta-Ji’ was right in expelling the three young leaders as he has never tolerated anyone who is detrimental to the party.

“Netaji can never be wrong or against his son. Wasn’t he who appointed Akhilesh as the chief minister” the associate asked, adding that while there may be serious differences between the two, nothing was alarming!

Budayun MP and cousin Dharmendra Yadav claimed that the chief ministers “was just busy and not angry” and that he will soon be seen in Saifai. Close officials say it is all temporary and that “things will be sorted out soon.”

For now, however, these voices of sanity comes across as not very reassuring!(Mohit Dubey, IANS)

Adityanath Yogi is known for his aggression and excellent oratory skills.

By Ruchika Verma

Yogi Adityanath is an Indian monk turned politician

He is currently the Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh

Adityanath Yogi is one of the most orthodox politicians in India

When Yogi Adityanath became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he sent the whole country into a brawl. Adityanath Yogi, as many know him as, is the founder of the youth group, Hindu Yuva Vahini.

Yogi Adityanath is not only a renowned Indian monk but also Hindu nationalist politician who with his association with Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He is known as the face of BJP in U.P.

Adityanath Yogi is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. (IANS)

Here are few little-known facts about Yogi Adityanath you may not have known before:

Yogi Adityanath was born on 5th June 1972. His real name is Ajay Singh which he changed after he became a monk.

Adiyanath Yogi is a very intelligent man. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from HNB Garhwal University, Uttarakhand.

Yogi Adityanath was the youngest legislator of Lok Sabha. He became a member of Lok Sabha in 1998 from Gorakhpur constituency. He was the MP from the same constituency for five times in a row.

Yogi Adityanath is known for his orthodox Hindu ways. Wikimedia Commons

Mahant Avaidyanath who was Adityanath’s predecessor was the president of Hindu Maha Sabha. They both have kept Hindutva as a forefront agenda during their election campaigns.

Adityanath Yogi is believed to be the leader of the ‘purification’ movement in 2005, during which Christians were converted to Hinduism. This step stunned the whole country.

Yogi Adityanath is a strong supporter of the “anti-Romeo squad.” These groups strike the couples in public, especially the unmarried ones. He says that these groups work towards restoring the pride of women.

Adityanath Yogi is the face of BJP, UP. Twitter

Yogi Adityanath is the founder of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, which is a nationalist group of young Hindu individuals. Many of its group members are Dalit Hindu who are very touchy about Hindu culture and traditions.

Adityanath Yogi was not always on good terms with BJP. In 2010, he was one of the several BJP members who opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Yogi Adityanath’s criminal record is hardly a clean slate. He has several criminal cases against him, which include: charges related to rioting, attempt to murder, illegal possession of weapons, and charges against threatening and endangering other people’s life.

Adityanath Yogi is a monk turned politician. Twitter

Adityanath Yogi is known for his aggression and has been named as one of the main culprits of the Gorakhpur riots.